


Prologue: The Next Right Thing

by akasharpiegirl



Series: The Next Right Thing [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, BABY I KNOW THE LAW, Gen, Light Angst, Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) Needs a Hug, Parent Tony Stark, Pre Tony Stark/Pepper Potts, Precious Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), SUE ME I DONT CARE, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony doesn’t take over si in this timeline, Tony is a teacher AGAIN, barley follows canon, im sorry I love aunt May but this had to happen, pepper potts is a guidance counselor, tony may be a genius but he graduated on time because im too lazy to do math, you’ve been warned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21828199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akasharpiegirl/pseuds/akasharpiegirl
Summary: *reupload due to glitches*Tony was the heir of Stark Industries. Stark Industries wasn’t going in the way he wanted, and even though he knew he’d have “control over the company”, he really wouldn’t get to change anything. (Members of the Stark Industries board don’t have brain cells.) So he dissociated from the company (along with the billionaire status he would receive) as he graduated on time from MIT. While at MIT, he met a woman studying neuroscience, who was named Annaliese. Which he married and had a kid with. This is another main reason he left Stark Industries. To be with his family. She ended up dying in a car crash, leaving Tony and their five year old daughter alone. Tony barely had any time to spend with Morgan unless it was on the weekends, and it took eight year old Morgan to get him to realize that his current mechanical engineering job wasn’t the right fit. Low and behold, Pepper Potts and Peter Parker come along with the next right thing too.
Relationships: Pepper Potts & Peter Parker, Tony Stark & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Series: The Next Right Thing [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1569733
Kudos: 30





	Prologue: The Next Right Thing

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, February 1990:

Twenty year old Tony Stark was sat in the library at a computer working on a project for his engineering analysis class. He was scribbling an idea he had upon hearing some type of conflict happening across the room.

“You don’t understand,” a woman, who was standing at a counter, stated. Her voice was coated with frustration. “I was gone for five minutes, I had to take a call. I asked the girl working here earlier to watch my stuff! This isn’t fair. Someone had to have seen something.”

“Look, I’m sorry, but your stuff is gone. I didn’t see anything,” the senior intern ‘apologized’ to the girl. “Try to see if your professor can give you an extension.”

“You know damn well he won’t cut me any slack,” the girl stated. “Thanks anyway.” She turned away, her half zipped backpack slung over her shoulder as she walked. 

And before Tony knew, he had paid for his printed pages and he was running after the girl. 

“Hey,” Tony ran up to the girl. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I overheard some stuff and wanted to make sure you were okay. What on Earth happened back there?”

“I, uh, had to take a call,” she stated as the two walked. “My Mom called me. I asked one of the interns working at the desk if they could keep an eye on my assignment while I was on the phone. I came back and… and all my work was gone. Nobody saw a thing.”

“That’s really odd, I’m sorry,” Tony felt sorry for her. “What class was it for?”

“Thanks… And, uh, bio-organic chemistry,” she answered. “Clements.”

“Yikes, I had him my first year,” Tony sympathized. “Do you know of anyone who would want to take your work? I was there but I was figuring out something for one of my assignments that I forgot about… until this morning.” 

“I don’t,” the woman shook her head. 

“Well, I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but if your work was taken... you’ve ought to be smart,” Tony started. “Or smarter than most of us at least. What’s your major?”

“Neuroscience. I’m a junior. You?”, she asked him. 

“Mechanical engineering, junior too. Did you transfer? How come I haven’t seen you around?”, Tony reciprocated.

“No, I didn’t. I’ve been here since my freshman year. I don’t really like to be in the crowd and only stick with a few friends. It’s just easier that way, you know? The name’s Annaliese by the way,” she introduced herself.

“Tony. And yeah, I get what you mean,” he introduced himself, before looking at her. She had black hair, freckles that didn’t hide well, and hazel eyes. The hazel eyes were easily hidden by her glasses. “Wait, I think I remember you from orientation. You know my roommate, he sat next to you.” 

“I’m sorry, I’ve slept many nights since then. Who’s your roommate?”, she asked.

“Rhodes,” Tony said.

“Oh, yeah. I did,” Annaliese confirmed. “If he’s friends with you, you must be an okay guy.”

Tony shrugged, “I like to think I am. Some people would beg to differ.” They turned the corner. “I was actually supposed to meet Rhodey for coffee. Something came up. Care to join me? Get your mind off that assignment for a bit?”

“Oh, I don’t know if I should. I have to start all over on that chem project—,” Annaliese started.

“Come on, Annaliese, you’re an MIT student. Putting off an assignment for an hour won’t hurt. Caffeine always helps me when I’m stuck on an assignment, at least,” Tony tried to convince her.

“Fine,” Annaliese said, letting out a nervous smile. 

“Oh, and that name. Annaliese isn’t going to stick with me, I hope you know. I just can’t come up with a nickname yet,” Tony announced to the girl as the two walked to the coffee spot on campus.

  
  


Manhattan, November 2007:

It had been 16 years since he and his—now wife— had met at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They married in 1997 after they both finished their doctorates. Tony, the heir of Stark Industries, dissociated from the company upon graduating from college, officially leaving the public eye. Tony worked at a fairly successful tech company, while Anneliese worked as a neurology research analyst at a hospital. And in 2002, along came their baby girl. Who they named Morgan Hope Stark. She had dark brown hair and brown eyes. Morgan had freckles just like her mother by now, and more and more each day she was developing a personality just like Annaliese as well (in so many ways, at least). 

Tony was knee-deep in his work when life as he knew it crashed down. His cell phone began to ring and he answered it as soon as he had a hand free. Tony recognized the number, it was to the local hospital, which was where his five year old daughter had been born. His hand shook as he pressed the answer button.

“Hello, is this Anthony Stark?”, a male’s voice asked. 

“Yes?”, Tony asked.

“I’m one of the paramedics with New York Health,” the man stated. “Your wife, Anneliese, she was in a car wreck.”

“And? Is she okay?”, Tony immediately asked, standing up from his workbench, nerves hitting all at once. 

“No,” he answered Tony. “It was fatal. She appeared to have passed away on impact or very shortly after. I’m very sorry, sir.”

Tony let out a heavy sigh, trying to hold in tears that were threatening to escape. “Where was she? Who was at fault?”

“Turning onto Dean,” the man answered. “The other driver was at fault, appeared to be distracted. Male, he was a student at NYU.”

“Dammit,” Tony mumbled as soon as he heard the street name. “She was on her way to get Morgan.”

“There was no one else in the car, sir,” the paramedic answered, hearing the comment.

“Are you taking her to the hospital?”, Tony asked, running down the stairs to tell his boss he’d have to leave and would make up the time soon. 

“Yes.”

“Thank you,” Tony thanked the person, despite so much grief filling through his heart. Tears were in the corner of his eyes as he opened the door to the main office. “I have to pick up my daughter and get someone to watch her, but thank you.”

The line went dead.

He had no time to ask for his boss. Instead, he signed out, and told the receptionist in jumbled English something to the effect of: ‘My wife was in a car wreck—She’s not here anymore—I have to pick up Morgan from school—I’m very sorry—I’ll make up the time, I swear.’

Tony drove away from his work to Morgan’s school, he tuned out the traffic report on the radio since he knew they’d only be talking about the wreck, and went on his way. He picked up his happy little girl with a fake smile on his face, before dropping her by Rhodey’s apartment.

The funeral was long and Tony’s mood was constantly flipping between grieving over his wife and sympathy for his own daughter. Morgan didn’t understand now, but she would eventually. And that pained him more than he’d ever admit. 

All of it was all hitting him so fast and he had no idea how he’d keep it together. For his daughter, he had to. Right? He was a newly single parent to a five year old daughter, all while working a 40 hour job. Oh God, this would be hard. Even harder than getting into MIT.

  
  


Manhattan, October 2010:

Tony drove through the oddly lonesome New York streets on his way to get Morgan from after school care. It was a Friday and he was so grateful for the weekend. He had no work, which meant no overtime. Which then also meant not feeling guilty about working overtime for at least two entire days. 

Ever since Annaliese had passed away, Tony had to take on more hours, at least two times a week. Just to give Morgan the best life he possibly could. To pay all of the house bills (house, water, electric), pay Morgan’s private school tuition, buy groceries, and even buy clothes and toys on occasion was no small feat, even if he did work at such a successful company and his salary was good when paired with someone else’s. He even prayed to a God he didn’t truly believe in every single time he thought he’d get promoted. He never did. So needless to say, he could breathe easier when he got holiday bonuses each year. 

He got out of his car once he arrived to Morgan’s elementary school. Once he pushed open the doors and was past the lobby, he found the sign out table. Which sat a tired college student doing homework, up until Tony had arrived.

“I need to pick up Morgan,” Tony stated to the kid. “Stark.”

“There’s only two Morgan’s still here, I know who you are,” the kid responded haphazardly before using his two way radio system. “I need Morgan Stark, her Dad is here to take her home.” 

A woman’s voice came through a moment later, “Sending her down.”

Morgan came down from the specials hallway two minutes later and as soon as she caught a glimpse of her Dad, she raced against nobody toward him. 

“Hey, little miss, you ready to go?”, Tony asked, taking her folder from her hand. 

“Yeah,” Morgan answered, the two walking out to the parking lot together. “I made a 95 on my math test.”

“You did? That’s awesome kiddo!”, Tony said as he unlocked the car door for her.

————

“Daddy?”, Morgan said right before Tony tried to start a bedtime story. 

“Hm?”, Tony responded.

“Why do you have to work so much? You didn't have to work so much before Mommy…”, Morgan‘s voice trailed off, she had a curious look on her face that covered the brief moment of sadness.

Tony’s eyes widened at the question and mention of her Mom. “I have to work so you can have a good life Maguna.”

“I know that,” Morgan rebutted. “But like, I miss you.”

Tony frowned, the statement pulling on his heartstrings a bit more than he had expected. He knew that she missed him. It didn’t take a genius to figure that out. (Which he was one, for all intents and purposes.) Heck, he missed spending time with her too. All the time. But he didn’t realize she’d actually ever tell him that. “Well, Morgan, if you had a choice. What would be the next right thing for us? What would you want me to do? I’m assuming not engineering, huh?”, he asked.

Morgan hummed as she thought. “Teacher?”

“What makes you think I’d be good at a job like that?”, Tony asked, doing the math in his head. Similar salary for him now, could be a little more though. Less hours on a property. It could work, they would just have to move to a smaller place and he’d have to take a few classes to get completely qualified.

“You help me with math homework,” Morgan shrugged. 

“I don’t think I’d be good at teaching 60 kids the same subject I’m helping you with on Wednesday nights. No offense, kiddo,” Tony quickly answered. 

“Any other subject?”, Morgan paid no mind to his statement and tried to persuade him.

Tony thought for a moment. He could teach some types of science if he really tried. “Science would be okay,” he answered her question.

“Will you do it?”, Morgan smiled at her Dad. 

Tony let out a small smile, “Only if you promise me a few things. That okay, Maguna?”

“What do I have to promise?”, Morgan asked, her quizzical look returning.

“It’ll take me a max of two or three years to get this all handled, qualifications and all. That means Christmases and birthdays will be different for a little while. Is that okay?”, Tony asked her. “And, we might have to move away from the city. Sound good?” The duo hadn’t moved since Annaliese’s death. (Try moving a five year old to a new house, it is an extremely difficult event to even fathom.) 

“I guess,” Morgan answered him.

“So we have a deal?”, Tony asked her, reaching out for a handshake.

“Mhm,” Morgan hummed, shaking his hand.

“I’ll start applying for spring classes tomorrow afternoon,” Tony said. 

“Okay.”

“I love you, Morgan, so much. Disney movie tomorrow night?”, he asked after kissing her forehead. 

“I love you too. And yeah,” Morgan answered him.

“Goodnight,” Tony told her as he turned off the lights and left the room.

  
  


Manhattan, May 2013:

“Okay, absolutely. Thank you,” Tony said into his phone, suppressing a smile. He glanced over at his daughter, who was not so patiently sitting on their couch and waiting for him to hang up. Tony had applied to 9 different teaching positions in the state of New York and attended interviews for each, but had been rejected from 8 of them already. This was the last call, for a public high school upstate. 

“Did you get the job?”, Morgan got up from her seat and asked as soon as her dad hung up the phone.

Tony didn’t answer for a minute as he put the phone in his pocket. 

“You didn’t get the job?”, Morgan rephrased the question, fear showing up on her face.

“I start teaching in September,” Tony answered. “I start working there in mid August though.”

“That’s awesome, Dad! Where at?”, Morgan asked as she hugged her Dad. 

“High school in a small town upstate,” Tony answered. “Which means we have to move soon. You remember what you promised me three years ago?”

“Vaguely,” Morgan answered as the two let go. 

“That you’re cool with us moving away from here,” Tony reminded her. “I know it’ll be hard, even for me. But your Mom would want us to move on.” That hurt Tony to say, but he had to say it. Oh the stories their current home walls could tell if they could speak.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Morgan agreed. “I’ll miss my friends, but…”

“You’ll make new friends. Plus if your current friends care about you, they’ll find ways to get in touch with you,” Tony answered. 

  
  


Upstate New York, August 2016:

“Peter, can you come down for a moment?”, Pepper called from the living room after looking through papers she was given earlier in the day since she started a new job position. 

Peter came downstairs a few minutes later, “Yes?”

“So, I got a new job at that school. The one with the good science program,” Pepper started. “Would you want to transfer or just stay where you are? It’s out of our district, but because I’m working there, you’re allowed to attend.”

Peter stared at his pseudo-mom for a moment before finally answering her question, “I think it’d be nice to move, yeah.” Pepper had been a friend to his aunt and uncle. But when Aunt May had died a year after his Uncle Ben, he was taken in by Pepper. 

“I’ll start making calls then,” Pepper stated.

“Thank you,” Peter smiled, before grabbing a snack from the kitchen and running back upstairs. He had been watching a gaming livestream when Pepper had called him. 


End file.
